Shabbaton Moves, Inspires Teens

It was a weekend of firsts for the 420 teens and shluchim attending the International Teen Shabbaton last Shabbos.

At the Shabbaton banquet, Yarin Benaloul, the president of the CTeen’s boys division of Las Vegas Nevada, shared that his community has drastically changed as a result of the dedication of CTeen rabbi, “Rabbi Oz” (Rabbi Chaim Ozer Metal). But Benaloul is not alone; this weekend, CTeens took on more Jewish observance by the dozens.

After hearing 16-year-old Jules Jaget describe how Hashem waits for the lone girl in Alaska to bring in Shabbos, Nicole Featherman from Pennsylvania lit Shabbos candles for the very first time.

The sound of “Siman Tov u’Mazal Tov” electrified the packed hall as 14-year-old Evan Rotter from Milwaukee was called up to the Torah after being bar mitzvahed on a boat en route to the Statue of Liberty just a day earlier.

Kingston Ave “feels like heaven” according to Jonah Kessler, a teen from Pennsylvania who kept kosher for the first time this Shabbos.

Cheering “I am proud to be a Jew,” sparklers in hand atop the Red Steps in Times Square, Maddie Ross experienced a memorable first-time havdala amongst a huddle of proud teens.

Two boys from Alpharetta, GA decided to buy their own photos of the Rebbe to hang in their rooms so they can “always remember the experience.”

It was also the first time nearly 70 shluchim and shluchos convened for a Shabbos dedicated specifically to teenage outreach.

“It was all worth it to see hundreds of teens listening to the Aseres Hadibros,” said CTeen Project Manager Rabbi Mendel Perlstein.

Topped off with a finale banquet, the teens were championed to bring the shabbaton feeling into their post-shabbaton lives.

“I have one request for you,” announced Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Chairman of CTeen, in his address to the teens at their Sunday afternoon banquet. “When you go back home, bring at least one more friend to a CTeen program.”

Teens were also addressed at the banquet by David Yarres, a Mayanot alumnus who shared his positive experiences at Chabad of Wellesley, encouraging the teens to take advantage of what Chabad has to offer and to keep Chabad in mind when choosing colleges.

After receiving so much inspiration, now the teens are motivating each other to keep the shabbaton spirit alive back in their hometowns.

At 1:00 a.m. the night after the Shabbaton, Nicole Abitol from Ormond Beach, FL wrote on CTeen’s Facebook page, “Don’t forget the incredible people you met this weekend. Keep in touch with everyone. Thank you rabbis for bringing us all! Stay proud to be Jewish!”

Co-Directors Rabbi Shimon and Leah Rivkin are sure that all the hachlotos made at the CTeen Shabbaton are giving much nachas to the Rebbe.

With much appreciation to Rabbis Mendy Freedman and Mendy Shapiro for arranging the logistics of the Shabbaton.